About Marco

Marco is a managed IT services provider serving 550+ managed customers across the country with a focus on delivering top-notch support and innovative solutions to its clients. Marco’s expert solution management includes 24/7 network monitoring, Support Desk service, data collection, data analytics, goal setting, and technology advising in addition to consulting, hardware, and installation. 

The Challenge

Before implementing Thread’s Assistive AI, Magic AI, Marco faced several operational hurdles:

• Manual Ticket Routing: Prior to AI, three full-time employees and two additional support staff were dedicated to dispatching tickets, a process that was time-consuming and inefficient.
• Hot Potato Tickets: Misrouted tickets often bounced between teams, leading to delays and customer frustration.
• Technician Utilization: Highly skilled technicians spent time on repetitive administrative tasks instead of service-focused work.
• Customer Experience: The lack of intelligent routing and prioritization meant longer resolution times and increased friction in customer interactions.

“I think the biggest frustration was knowing that we had techs who could fix issues, but they were stuck doing manual work that AI can now do automatically,” said Danielle Vickstrom, Senior Service Delivery Manager at Marco.

The Solution: Implementing AI with Thread

Marco discovered Thread's Magic AI solution for auto-categorization and auto-prioritization of IT service tickets. After evaluating several options, they chose Thread for its impressive 95% accuracy rate and its ability to seamlessly integrate with their existing systems.

"Thread has revolutionized the way we manage and automate our triaging process."

With Thread, Marco began automating their ticket management process, freeing up their technicians to focus on more complex problem solving.

• Automated ticket triage: AI instantly reviews and categorizes tickets, ensuring they reach the right technician the first time.
• Reduction in dispatch workload: From five full-time dispatchers down to one, freeing up staff for higher-value work.
• More efficient service desk: AI-driven categorization and prioritization eliminated misrouted tickets, reducing frustration and improving accuracy.
• Seamless chat support: Customers now engage directly with Tier 2 technicians who are fully-prepped to solve the problem.

“At first, there was fear that AI would take jobs. But once the team saw that AI eliminated the mind-numbing, repetitive tasks, they became enthusiastic advocates, working with AI instead of against it.” 

Key Benefits & Measurable Impact

1. More Engaged Technicians
   • “Technicians can now focus on complex problem-solving instead of clicking dropdowns all day.”
2. Increased Accuracy in Ticket Routing
   • “We eliminated the ‘hot potato’ problem. AI ensures tickets go to the right place the first time.”
3. Improved Customer Satisfaction
   • “Customers love chat support because they instantly connect with the right expert. No more waiting in queues for triage.”
4. Faster Issue Resolution
   • “AI-driven prioritization has cut down resolution times significantly, improving response metrics across the board.”
5. Scalable Growth Without Hiring More Staff
   • “Now that AI handles repetitive tasks, we can scale our business without needing to hire additional dispatchers.”

Future Plans: Expanding AI Capabilities

Marco is actively exploring AI-driven automation for:

• Automated Password Resets & User Provisioning: Enabling AI to handle routine IT requests autonomously.
• Full, AI-Integrated Service Desk: Expanding Thread’s AI capabilities across all customer touchpoints.
• Further Chat Expansion: Increasing adoption of chat-based customer support to reduce phone call volume.

“We’re just scratching the surface of what AI can do. Our next goal is to let AI fully resolve basic IT tasks, so our technicians can focus on mission-critical issues.”

Conclusion

Marco’s journey with AI-driven automation proves that AI doesn’t replace people—it empowers them. By eliminating repetitive tasks and improving ticket accuracy, Marco has created a more efficient, customer-centric IT service model.

For MSPs hesitant about AI adoption, Danielle offers this advice:

“Keep an open mind. Even if a feature doesn’t exist today, it could in a month. AI is evolving fast, and the opportunities for efficiency and service improvement are endless.”